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Evander Kane had just set a career high with three assists and finished with a career-best four points for just the second time since turning pro.

Yet his own line mate couldn't help but take a poke at Winnipeg's budding young star.

Olli Jokinen snapped a month-long goal drought in the first period of Tuesday's 4-1 win when he took a Kane pass off his skate, kicked it to his stick and beat Carolina netminder Justin Peters. Asked if he told Kane to just hit his stick next time, Jokinen cracked a joke at the 21-year-old's expense.

"I was actually surprised he passed it to me," Jokinen said with a rare laugh. "He's a shoot-first guy, but he made a good play. Their D was forcing him, and that was the only place he was able to put the puck. When he's on, he's easy to play with."

Kane said he was happy with his performance, but he was more content to talk about how important the win was for the Jets. That's a great sign, according to Jokinen.

"He's a young kid who wants to learn and wants to win, and he's been a difference maker," Jokinen said. "And he wants to be a difference maker in the next month or so.

"He's putting the team ahead of himself, too, and it's been all year like that. He's been really good."

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Kudos for Kane

Evander Kane had just set a career high with three assists and finished with a career-best four points for just the second time since turning pro.

Yet his own line mate couldn't help but take a poke at Winnipeg's budding young star.

Olli Jokinen snapped a month-long goal drought in the first period of Tuesday's 4-1 win when he took a Kane pass off his skate, kicked it to his stick and beat Carolina netminder Justin Peters. Asked if he told Kane to just hit his stick next time, Jokinen cracked a joke at the 21-year-old's expense.

"I was actually surprised he passed it to me," Jokinen said with a rare laugh. "He's a shoot-first guy, but he made a good play. Their D was forcing him, and that was the only place he was able to put the puck. When he's on, he's easy to play with."

Kane said he was happy with his performance, but he was more content to talk about how important the win was for the Jets. That's a great sign, according to Jokinen.